Rail-bond.



T. U. FOLSOM.

BAIL BOND.

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Patented Mar. 3, 1914 I Witwe/MOM l d v l E @koruna THOMAS C. FOLSOM, OF TAMPA, FLORIDA.

RAIL-BOND.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 9, 1912. Serial No. 719,489.

To all 'whom 'it may concern.'

Be it known that I, THOMAS C. FoLsoM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Tampa, in the county of Hillsboro and State of Florida, have invented cert-ain new and useful Improvements in Rail-Bonds; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to rail bonds and method of securing the same to the rails, and has for its purpose to provide a rail bond terminal which will, of itself, be centrally seated within the perforation formed in the rail whereby to be more securely held in place through the medium of the metal filling; and wherein the manner of securing the same is such as will produce a secure fastening, avoid the possible loss of filling metal; and wherein said filling metal is so applied that it may be readily removed for the replacing of the terminal.

The invention constitutes an improvement over the rail bond shown in my Patent- #859,056, and dated July .2, 1907.

l/Vlth these and other objects in View the invention consists in the novel details of construction `and combinations of parts more fully hereinafter disclosed and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this speciiication in which like numerals designate like parts in all the views :Figure 1 is a side elevational View showing the abutting end of two rails with the bond in place; Fig. 2 is an end elevational view of the bond terminal; F ig. 3 is a side elevational view of the same; and Fig. 4 illustrates in central section the method of securing the terminal, and indicates in broken lilies the apparatus therefor.

Referring to the construction in detail, A and B indicate the adjacent ends of two rails, and l the bond which is constructed preferably of a plurality of laminated strips of conducting material, such as copper, and said stri ps are secured to, or formed integral with the terminals 2. Each of said terminals is constructed with a head and a body portion 3 which, for a part of its length, is provided with a plurality o-f projections or lugs 4 through the medium of which the terminal is centered within the aperture C formed in the web of the rail; and the end of said body portion 3 has formed therein transversely disposed grooves 3a (see Fig. The bond terminal may of course be secured to 'the bottom or Hange of the rail. The aperture C is of uniform diameter throughout, and the opposite surfaces of the rail web surrounding said aperture are faced, as at D, by a suitable tool.

The terminal 2 is secured in position through the medium of a mass of fusible conducting material S, which surrounds the body portion 3, enters between the centering lugs 4, and passes through the transversely disposed slots or grooves 3a. And the outer or exposed portion of said filling is formed with a cap or head, as illustrated in Fig. 4, and said fusible material also fills the faced portion of the flange adjacent the cap.

The apparatus used for applying the terminal consists of a U-shaped clamp E, having an arm F that seats against the head of the terminal, and a mold block Gr which is secured against the opposite side of the rail web through the medium of a screw H. Said mold block is provided with an annular channel I, adapted to receive a suitable pack- Patented Mar. 3, 1914.

ing to form a sealed space for receiving the molten material which is poured through the lip of the mold K, after the usual manner.

The method of applying and fixing the bond terminal consists in`first drilling a hole of the required diameter through the web of the rail, and then facing the opposite surfaces of the rail web surrounding said opening. The faced surfaces and the sides of the aperture are then cleaned by acid with a brush, and following which a solder is applied and heated by a torch until the solder runs. The openingand facings are then tinned, after which the surface is washed with water by a clean brush, so as to-remove any of the acid likely remaining. The bond terminal is also well tinned, which may be done by spreading the acid over the terminal and dipping it in heated solder, thence cooling it, and finally washing off the acid by dipping it in clean water. The terminal is then placed in the aperture and driven in hard, and a torch applied at the open end thereof until suflicientlv heated to cause the solder to run. The mold block is then positioned and clamped in place, when the fusible material is poured in, as will be understood. The mold block is thereafter the clamping ap the spiritcooledvby pouring water over the same, when aratus may be removed.

It is obvious t at those skilled in the art may vary the details of construction and arrangement of parts Without departing from of my invention, and therefore I do not wish to be limited to such features except as may be requiredv by the claims.

v1. In a rail bond, the combination with a rail having a perforated portion, of a terminal having a cylindrical body portion provided With a plurality of annularly arranged centerin lugs fitting Within said perforation; an a mass of fusible conductin material securing said terminal in place, su stantially as described.

'2. In a rail bond, the combination with a rail having a perforated portion, of a terminal having a cylindrical body portion provided With lugs for a part of its length and fitting withinsaid perforation and centering the body portion; and a mass of fusible conducting material surrounding the body portion and securing said terminal in place, substantially as described.

3. In a rail bond, the combination with a railA having a perforated portion, of a Vterminal having a body portion fitting Within said erforation, said bodyy portion being slotte and provided with lugs for centering the same; anda mass of fusible conducting material surrounding the body por-` tion and entering said slots and securing said terminalin place, substantially as described.

4. In a rail bond,'the combination with a rail havin a (perforated web, of a terminal having a ea and a body portion fitting within said perforation, said body portion provided with centering lugs adjacent said head, and having the end portion thereof transversely slotted; and a mass of fusible conducting material surrounding the body portion and entering said slots and securlng said terminal in place, substantially as described.

5. In a rail bond, the combination With a railhaving a perforated webwith faced surfaces surrounding the perforation, of a terminal having a body portion ttino' Within said perforation, and a head seated within one of said facings; said body portion provided with centering lugs adjacent said head, and having the end portion thereof transversely slotted; and a mass of `fusible conducting metal surrounding the body portion and entering said slots, and formed with a head seated within the other of said facings on the rail web, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I aiix my signature, in presence of two Witnesses.

THOMAS C. FOLSOM.

C. FRED THOMPSON. 

